About Me
I’m an independent crime author, living in the village of Fishbourne, about three miles west of the beautiful city of Chichester, West Sussex. I set my police procedurals here, drawing on nearly twenty years of policing experience to craft stories full of twists, turns, and authenticity.
My life is full of amazing people who support me. I’m married to Valerie, a skilled life coach. She is also my editor, a role for which she is exceptionally well qualified. We have three grown-up children and two grandchildren. I’m also a carer for my autistic son, who has Down syndrome.
A Brief History
I spent the first 20 years of my working life in electronics and software engineering, but after my son was born I made a radical career change and joined Hampshire Constabulary as a police officer. I served in Hampshire as a PC and, in my later years, in Sussex as a special constable, a total of nearly twenty years spent plodding around the city centre or zipping off on 999 calls in a response team.
About My Interests
In addition to writing, I’m a folk musician specialising in meditative music. I play a blend of Irish, Scottish, and English tunes, as well as composing my own pieces. From Irish whistles to the melodeon, ukulele, and EWI, my instruments are as diverse as my musical influences, which range from folk artists such as Cara Dillon and Kate Rusby to gospel bands such as Casting Crowns. I’ve also performed live and recorded music for others, most recently playing whistles on the Prayerscapes albums.
I also keep a hand in programming and enjoy writing my own chess software. I admit it’s an unusual special interest.
About the Inspiration Behind My Writing
I’m drawn to suspense and mystery in my reading. Authors such as Cara Hunter, Elly Griffiths, Lee Child, and Ian Rankin often inspire me, as do the fantastical worlds of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Frank Peretti. One book that had a particularly profound effect on me was Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist; I love the beauty of magical realism. With such a mix of influences, my writing—primarily crime fiction—sometimes blends the gritty with the ethereal.
My Learning
Every day is a steep learning curve. I wasn’t born a writer; in fact, English was a difficult subject for me at school. But I’ve come a long way, honing my craft through trial and error, extensive reading, and a handful of writing courses—including an eye-opening Crime Fiction Certificate course at West Dean College with Elly Griffiths and Lesley Thomson. Writing, publishing, marketing—it’s been a journey of continuous growth and discovery.
I took my first steps as a crime fiction author during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At the time, I was reading a Cara Hunter novel featuring DI Adam Fawley, which inspired me to try something similar. Drawing on my years of police experience, I decided to write a police procedural. It was a steep learning curve. Writing about police procedures can be dry, so I aimed to craft compelling stories with characters I care about—stories I would want to read myself
See my books here.
Ready to give a talk at the Oxmarket in Chichester